200 Words on Surprises

Yes, they do happen – even to the best organizations. People leave. Offers are declined unexpectedly. Candidates don’t show.

Okay…maybe it happens more than we think. It’s actually the norm. Surprises pop up all the time, and because of that the concept of drilling and practice is something that is required but rarely done.

When was the last time you tested your team? The last time you gave them a mock situation to see how they would react? We are so busy executing that we forget to drill. I am not a military guy by any stretch but among the many this I admire about the US Armed Forces is their ability to drill and be prepared for heightened situations.

Well…we are in a heightened situation. Less jobs, talent is weak and hard to find, and some recruiters are sitting on their hands. Time to drill. Get them thinking and being prepared for our pending recovery. Here are some ideas:

1 mock transfer or division. Pretend your business is going to move a customer service center or large sales group from one location to another. What type of scenario planning will they do? Can they react?

2 technology shift. Pretend your IT department decided to switch from SAP to Oracle.

3 executive without succession plan leaves. How quickly can you react and get moving

Stay sharp so when surprises come, you are ready.